Preparing for Fine and Performing Arts School

If you are considering choosing fine or performing arts, your post-secondary planning process should begin as early as high school. Fine and performing arts programs can be competitive and are rigorous. Therefore, it is important to plan your high school courses accordingly. Some of the courses you will want to take include English/communications, math, creative arts and music to ensure that you are well prepared for the schools and programs that make your list.

If you are still in high school and are thinking about studying fine or performing arts, there are several additional things that you can do to prepare and increase your chances of being accepted:

Your portfolio represents you to a college as a potential student. Spend time preparing your portfolio in school and at home. This same advice applies to auditions and interviews. For most schools your portfolio/audition/interview will play a determining factor in your admission to that particular school.
Consider attending a summer or spring break academy to develop your skills and expand your knowledge of possible fields of study.
Undertake to read and study independently. This is a good way to develop interests, expand your knowledge and improve your vocabulary and reading comprehension skills needed for school. This will also help you if admission requirements include an interview, since you will be able to impress the committee with the knowledge you have built up of terms and issues specific to this area of study.
Validating your interest by volunteering and providing direct service is a good way to demonstrate your commitment and can make a difference to your being accepted into highly competitive arts fields.
Consider how you can develop leadership skills while you are still in high school. Admissions committees value applicants who can demonstrate leadership potential. You can acquire leadership in school clubs, volunteer programs, and through an internship or summer job.